Posts Tagged Stress Redcuer

Stress management is something we do both actively and passively. We gain skills to use in the face of stress and we develop ways to relieve stress when no stressors are present. Some of us use pharmaceuticals to calm down like Xannax or Valium. Others prefer to use natural remedies such as Rhodiola or ginseng. In this article we will discuss natural medicines to use as a stress reducer.

Rhodiola

Rhodiola is though to be the master adaptogen. An adaptogen is an herb that is said to increase resistance to stress, anxiety, fatigue, and trauma. One method of action they are thought to use is balancing endocrine hormones and the immune system. If you are in excess or deficient in these the herb will lower or rise the hormones to balance their levels. It is also said that Rhodiola functions at the allostasis level which is a far more dynamic way of dealing with long term stress. In addition to this studies have shown that it improves mood and can alleviate depression. It has also shown to improve physical and mental performances.

Ginseng

Ginseng comes in many genus, the most common being: Siberian, Panax, American, and Red. Ginseng has traditionally been used as an adaptogen, aphrodisiac, stimulant, type II diabetes, and for the reduction of stress. One study shows that is promising when used to increase overall quality of life.

Holy Basil

Holy Basil is becoming popular for use as a stress reducer and for mood support. In Ayurvedic medicine it is said to be an adaptogen and is helpful is relieving stress. It is a highly respected plant as is referred to as “the elixir of life”. Tulsi Tea which can be bought at many health food stores has holy basil in all of its blends. Many people I have talked to regard it as the best supplement they have taken for emotional well being and as a stress reducer. I feel the same way, for me it works great and helps my stress management to be easy and thoughtful.

Although studies aren’t extensive for these medicines many have shown these and other herbs to be effective in relieving stress. They are definitely worth a try and although we all react to medicines differently we should be able to find ones that work for us. Stress management can certainly be improved with the use of medicines and it definitely is worth the time to find what works for you.

Eustress is a form of stress that the body procures when it needs to preform a very exerting physical activity. It is used to give your body an extra burst that it needs to complete the goal at hand. It can also be used in a variety of other ways and it can be very beneficial. It is much different from emotional stress and doesn’t even connect to emotional stress. Physically, it is just as taxing on the body as distress, but eustress obviously yields better results.

Other ways eustress is used by you is less practical and more selfish. Watching a suspenseful horror movie is an example of the body producing the eustress response. That is one of the reasons some people are so drawn to those types of movies. The adrenaline rush that come with eustress along with it’s other effects. This is not what eustress is for, but nature didn’t intend on us having film and television. It’s not a bad thing, per say, to use eustress for this purpose but it will have the same taxing physical damage as distress.

Eustress is a powerful and interesting concept. For the few that are familiar with the concept, it is often overlooked and often forgot. It is used to your benefit without you knowing it. There aren’t many ways to increase its effects and anything short of experienced meditation there isn’t a way to stop it. It is just there, a tool hanging in the workshop of the mind, ready to be employed in the situations that arouse it.

In the coming months the Stress Reducer team will explore the idea of eustress more and look for ways we can use it to our benefit. As of yet though it doesn’t look like anything we can modify or enhance on our behalf. Until then look around for other ways to take a positive spin on distress and see what ideas are to come in regards to eustress.